Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Chanukah Mission

by Rabbi
Pinchos Lipschutz

As we
observe the Yom Tov of Chanukah, it is interesting to note that
there is a mitzvah of zeh Keili ve’anveihu to perform a mitzvah
in its most perfect form.

We find
in hilchos Chanukah that the hiddurim in the mitzvah of
lighting involve the type of oil and wicks used to light the menorah and
providing a menorah for every member of the family. After the fire burns
for a half hour, it may be extinguished. The Mishnah Berurah [672, 6]
writes that there is no hiddur mitzvah in having it burn longer. I have
long wondered why. We would think that the longer the candles remain lit, the
more of a hiddur mitzvah it would be.

Perhaps
we can explain as follows. We light the menorah to commemorate the
heroic act of the Chashmonaim. The greatness of what they did and what
we celebrate is the fact that they had the courage to stand apart with faith in
Hashem as they battled the Yevonim and those who fell under their
influence.

What
came after was a result of siyata diShmaya, Divine intervention.
Although by laws of nature there was no way they could have succeeded in their
mission, their dedication was rewarded by Hashem and they overcame the
overwhelming odds stacked against them.

With siyata
diShmaya, after the war, they found a small container of holy oil, which
miraculously proved to be enough to light for eight days, until they were able
to procure more. Their heroic act was the initial kindling of the menorah.
The fact that it remained lit until more oil was obtained was a miracle
independent of them. Because they performed their mission without weighing
their chances of success, Hashem caused them to succeed.

Thus,
the mitzvah is to light the menorah - kovsah ein zokuk lah
- and there is no hiddur in the lights burning longer, because we are
saluting the action of the Chashmonaim, which was their devotion to
their mission of kehunah and kedushah, and destroying the tumah,
even though victory was not apparent. They kindled the menorah even
though they didn’t know how long it would remain lit. The mitzvah,
therefore, is to acknowledge their heroism by lighting the menorah. For
the menorah to remain lit longer than the initial thirty minutes does
not add to the performance of the mitzvah.

Klal
Yisroel didn’t feel itself strong enough to throw off
the yoke of Greek tyranny until Matisyahu showed that it could be done. Forces
of evil are permitted to remain in power, because the people they dominate do
not appreciate their own power and do not join together to bring down the
wickedness. Evil is toppled when one good man decides that he can bear it no
longer and begins to rally people around him.

The
miraculous military victory over Yovon is a dramatic example of how the
laws of nature are suspended when dedicated people join together to increase
Torah and kedushah in the world. That reversal of the natural order in
their day was made possible by the great acts of courage and heroism carried
out by one courageous individual, Matisyahu, and his small group.

Though
according its natural makeup, the flask contained enough oil to burn for one
day, it fueled the flame for as long as was necessary until more oil could be
made. So too, although in physical terms those who were virtuous were
outmatched by those who were evil, they won anyway.

Very
often, we hear tales of wonder about how people succeeded in building Torah
where no one thought it was possible. How many times have we heard of the rov
who came to a town and was told that hair would grow on hand-palms before a yeshiva
would take root? The naysayers are long forgotten as Torah takes root and
blossoms.

People
move to far-flung cities and towns and everyone thinks they are crazy, yet they
succeed. People are moser nefesh to do a mitzvah and, in the long
run, they gain from it. People who work lesheim Shomayim, with selfless
dedication, are not limited by logic or the laws of nature. They go where
everyone says you can’t and they succeed because they know that our task is to
light the fire; the rest is up to Hashem.

On Chanukah,
we pay tribute to the ideals of mesirus nefesh of the Chashmonaim.
They took a brave, determined stand against the evil tyranny that brutalized
them and sought their destruction as a people. The Chashmonaim were
unpopular, as much of Klal Yisorel succumbed to the temptations
presented by the Yevonim.

In fact,
the Bach (Orach Chaim 670) writes that the Yevonim were
able to enact gezeiros, because there was a hisrashlus b’avodah,
a general weakening in the commitment to religious obligations.

The Chofetz
Chaim foretold of a similar atmosphere towards hachzokas haTorah in ikvesa
deMeshicha, the period leading up to the arrival of Moshiach.

The
avodah of Chanukah and of these dark times is the same: to support
and enable courageous stars to emerge from within our people and free us of our
shackles, enabling us to rise.

The Chofetz
Chaim regularly delivered a shmuess to his talmidim in his
Radiner yeshiva. The shmuessen were actually more of a
rumination. He would contemplate, think and reflect. The shmuess was a
conversation more than a lecture.

In
discussing the battle between Yaakov Avinu and the sar of Eisov, the Chofetz
Chaim wondered why the force of evil worked with such energy and drive to
block the path of Yaakov. He asked why the paths to kedushah of the
first two avos were not impeded in this manner.

The Chofetz
Chaim seemed to look into the future as he spoke. “Each of the avos
represented a distinct path in avodah. Avrohom’s was chesed,
Yitzchok’s was gevurah and Yaakov’s was Torah. The Zohar reveals
that a time will come, just prior to the alos hashachar of Moshiach,
when people will ignore talmidei chachomim and forgo traditional support
for Torah,” he said. “The lack of encouragement will cause talmidei
chachomim to weaken in their resolve. This is hinted to by the injury the malach
caused Yaakov in his kaf yerech. The thigh supports the body, and the
angel thought that by injuring that limb, Yaakov would be unable to
battle him.

“The malach
struck Yaakov Avinu, but he fought on. Although he was hurt, he summoned the
strength to overcome his heavenly opponent.”

The Chofetz
Chaim said that before Moshiach’s arrival, chizuk and
encouragement for Torah would decline. However, he said, the fight would go on,
and there would be a few resolute individuals who would fight lonely battles.

He
foretold that while they might be few, they would be proud and effective.

Every
individual has the ability to grasp an ideal and stand tall in its defense. We
all have a singular mission in life, and if we are true to our core, we can
summon the strength to realize it. We must never lose sight of what our
ultimate goal is, despite all the noise and static seeking to steal our
attention. Challenges confront us, but we possess the ability to surmount them.

It is as
true today as it was thousands of years ago, when the Chashmonaim confronted
the masses to fight with dignity and pride in defense of our mesorah.

On
Chanukah, we celebrate the Chashmonaim and their mesirus nefesh
for kedushah. They rose to throw off the forces of darkness from the
nation that was having its light source blocked. They were the me’atim,
the tzaddikim, the tehorim, the people who performed Hashem’s
service in the Bais Hamikdosh and in the bais medrash.

Rather
than turning to the strong people and others who were trained in physical labor
and accomplishment, they themselves led the battle against the forces of
darkness.

Too
often, we look for others to do our work. We look in the wrong places for
saviors and salvation, not knowing that the solution is within us. If we
improve ourselves and make ourselves worthy, we can overcome whatever stands in
our way. And if it isn’t us who can accomplish the goal, we can assist those
who can. It is very difficult to work in a vacuum. Those intrepid souls who do
so need all the help and support they can get.

While
the first part of the Chofetz Chaim’s prophecy has been realized, it is
comforting to know that the second part is coming to fruition as well. Yes, we
are bombarded by many who seek to undermine us. We are beset by various
problems that beg for solutions. There is an air of negativity and begrudging
acceptance of the situation, as many are apathetic.

This
past Shabbos, I attended the Torah Umesorah convention which catered to askonim,
executives, lay leaders and yeshiva administrators. They are people who
enable roshei yeshiva, rabbonim, mechanchim and mechanchos
to inspire and lead. They represent the kaf yerech support system for
those to whom we entrust our children.

After
spending a Shabbos with those people, I see that there really is room
for optimism and hope. There are people all across the country who fight on and
refuse to be dissuaded from bringing Torah and kedushah to all corners.
They, and those like them, are heroes in our time. They are the ones the Chofetz
Chaim referred to as he spoke to the bochurim in Radin in a
different time and a different world.

Such
people are referred to as “tamchind’Oraysa.” A tomeich Torah
differs from a nadvan, who donates to Torah and good causes. The tomeich
doesn’t just donate. He stands behind the talmid chochom and supports
him, motivating him and enabling him to continue; comfortable and strong.

The
quintessential tamchin d’Oraysa shows humility and veneration forTorahscholars. As wealthy, influential and powerful as they may be, they
acknowledge the leadership of genuine Torah greats.

Reb
Moshe Reichmann zt”l generously supported a local kollel. Once, a
close friend asked the Canadian philanthropist to prevail upon the rosh
kollel to accept a certain yungerman. Mr. Reichmann looked at him in
shock. “Me? What do I know about running a kollel? I am a developer. He
makes talmidei chachomim. I have no right to offer an opinion.”

He
exemplified the tamchin d’Oraysa who are the yerech, holding up
the guf of a nation with distinction.

Being a tomeich
Torah doesn’t necessarily involve donating money. A very wealthy European
Jew, who was a generous philanthropist, experienced a bad turn in business and
lost his fortune. He shared his frustration and pain with the Satmar Rebbe, Rav
Yoel Teitelbaum zt”l. TheRebbe comforted him. “It’s a difficult nisayon,”
he said, “but now you have been given a new role, a new shlichus. Now
you will show people how you can assist mosdos withoutmoney. You
will help raise money, you will come up with good ideas, and you will utilize
your connections and business experience. By doing so, you will demonstrate
that anyone can be a tomeich Torah.”

A
heartbroken almanah once shared her tale of woe with Rav Chaim Ozer
Grodzensky zt”l. Her husband had been a wealthy industrialist and a
patron of yeshivos. His business went into a downward spiral and, before
he knew what had happened, he was left with an empty bank account. He died
shortly thereafter from a broken heart.

The
woman told the rov that she went to visit her son, who was learning in a
prominent yeshiva, and was appalled by the squalor in which the bochurim
were living. After listening to her problems, Rav Chaim Ozer said to her, “It’s
your fault.”

The
woman reacted with astonishment to the charge. Rav Chaim Ozer explained: “You
and your husband were generous and caring friends of yeshivos, and then,
unfortunately, you were no longer able to give money. You thought that you were
absolved of your obligation to support Torah, but that isn’t true.”

He
continued: “You can still do so much. Here,” he said, handing her a sum of
money, “take this and buy straw. I’m sure that with your determination, you
will be able to get sacks donated. We can fill them with the straw and the bochurim
will have new beds to sleep on. Go with hatzlachah. You can still do so
much.”

The almanah
left, not just with money, but with a new mission in life.

There
are many missions for the taking. There are causes waiting for champions.

The
miracle of Chanukah that we celebrate is primarily that of the tiny
flask that burned longer than was thought to be realistically possible. The menorah’s
lights signify that the power of light overcame the power of darkness. The oil
lasting longer than one day signifies that if you expend the effort and work bemesirus
nefesh, physical rules will not apply.

We see
wrongsin our world and are told that there is nothing we can do about
it. We try to right the wrongs and are mocked. Yet, in fact, if you look
around, there are so many people who overcame the odds, building Torah where no
one thought it was possible, restoring lives others had given up on, and
fighting abuse that people thought was part of life. We see teachers touching
souls and impacting them forever. We see righteous men and women not taking no
for an answer, standing up to an apathetic society, and awakening people’s
consciences. We see people rallying to fight for those who have been wronged.

We see
people working with selfless dedication and are amazed that it seems as if
logic and the laws of nature don’t apply to them. They tread where no one has
dared step before, and they succeed where lesser people vowed success was absolutely
impossible. Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz zt”l, who founded Torah
Umesorah, stood up to the passive negativity that was pervasive in his time and
dedicated himself to doing what he could so that tens of thousands of children
would say, “Shema Yisroel.” He sent his talmidim across the
country, infusing them and others with the passion to change people’s mindsets.
The spark they created grew into a fire that spread from New York to California
and every major city in between, fueled by intrepid souls who forsook fame and
fortune to save a nation in a death spiral.

Wherever
Torah Umesorah reached, the community blossomed. Many tens of thousands of
Jewish children were lost, robbed of a Jewish education, but the day school
movement made it possible to change that narrative. Assisted by dedicated baalei
batim who worked with mesirus nefesh, the mindset was transformed
and a revolution ensued.

These
are the heroes of our people. They have taken a desolate land and caused a
desert of assimilation to bloom with Torah. It is these heroes who have heard
the call of the Chashmonaim. They have been the shluchim for the
rebirth of our people decades after we were nearly wiped out. They have
succeeded in greater fashion than anyone thought possible, blessed with siyata
diShmaya reserved for those who work bemesirus nefesh lesheim
Shomayim.

This
week, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman selected my dear friend, Rav Eliezer Sorotzkin,
to run on the Yahadus HaTorah list for the Knesset. Twenty-five years ago, when
Lev L’Achim was founded, Rav Elozor Menachem Man Shach zt”l tapped the
energetic yungerman to lead it. Since then, he has worked ceaselessly
and tirelessly, crisscrossing Israel to bring the blessings of Torah to tens of
thousands of thirsting people.

With the
direction of the gedolim, assistance of an army of volunteers, and
support of bnei Torah around the world, he demonstrated the ability of
one person to affect tens of thousands.

Monday
night, Rav Shteinman said, “He is what the generation needs,” proving again how
much one person can accomplish and that if we would dedicate ourselves to our
missions, we can transform the world.

Many
others worked alone, mocked and derided as failing dreamers, yet they placed
their faith in Hashem and lived to see much success. People such as the
Ponovezher Rov are the stuff of legend and many stories are told about them.
But even in our day, there are people who defied the odds and went on to
undertake trailblazing endeavors on behalf of our people. We can all have that
impact if we discover our mission and set out to right wrongs and make the
world a better place. We have to light the spark lesheim Shomayim.
Hashem does the rest.

A
delegation once traveled to St. Petersburg to meet with the Russian minister of
education in an attempt to convince him to revoke a decree that would have
terribly impacted yeshivos. Upon arrival in the Russian capital city,
the participants met with the local rov, Rav Yitzchok Blazer, to discuss
tactics they would employ to underscore the importance of Torah to the
minister. Someone suggested translating the words of the tefillah of Ahavah
Rabbah for the minister to demonstrate the depth of love for Torah.
Rav Blazer replied, “If we would translate those words for ourselves, we
wouldn’t need to do so for them.”

We daven
three times every day, but we don’t necessarily take the words to heart. We
learn the story and halachos of Chanukah, but we have to
recognize their relevance to us and our daily lives. The inspiration is there
for those who seek it.

If each
of us would internalize the lesson of the Chashmonaim, we could free ourselves
from much oppression.

It is
because of such people that we can reach and learn and daven. It is
because of the mesirusnefesh of people who went forth into an eretz
lo zorua that Torah and Yiddishkeit are stronger than ever. It is
because of their dedication that we can publicly light the menorah with
pride, without fear of our neighbors.

As we
light the menorah, we should learn the lesson of the Chashmonaim,
and of the gedolim, roshei yeshiva, admorim, rabbonim, mechanchim and
mechanchos who have led us on a path of greatness, and be motivated to do
what we can to complete their missions and ours.

Rav
Yitzchok Blazer would relate from his rebbi, Rav Yisroel Salanter, that
on Chanukah it is forbidden to be sad. If someone would tell Rav Yisroel
something depressing, he would respond, “Shhh. On Chanukah it is
forbidden to say hespeidim and be despondent.”

How can
a person be unhappy on the Yom Tov that commemorates Hashem helping
those who actively place their faith in Him? The menorah reminds us of
the successes of those who refused to be depressed or suppressed throughout the
ages. Let’s remember that.